Advanced study in health administration and aging studies is available through a dual degree and certificate program co-sponsored by the Department of Health Administration and the Department of Gerontology in the College of Health Professions.
The program allows students to earn a Master of Health Administration and Certificate in Aging Studies with a minimum of 71 credits rather than the 74 credits necessary if the two degrees were pursued separately. This efficiency lowers the overall cost of tuition while also reducing time to earning both degrees.
Program goals
The objectives of this dual degree and certificate program are to:
- Prepare graduates to address the complex needs of a diverse aging population using holistic knowledge of the biopsychosocial aging process
- Provide graduates with an understanding of empirically and theoretically based components contributing to optimal aging using evidence-based, best-practice approaches
- Prepare graduates to discuss and critically analyze health-related principles and policies that impact older adults
- Prepare graduates to work with interprofessional teams in organizations and institutions to benefit and support older people and caregivers.
Among the many benefits offered by participation in the dual degree and certificate program are the following:
- Students holding these degrees will be more competitive in the job market and will have expanded opportunities for career advancement in the aging services sector.
- Students will have advanced knowledge of aging-related trends, social issues and policies that impact older adults in all settings
The diplomas for this dual degree and certificate program may be awarded simultaneously. However, students must complete a separate graduation check out for each program.
Student learning outcomes
See the individual program pages for student learning outcomes.
Other information
Advising
The student is assigned an adviser from each program to develop a plan of study. Advisers from each program will provide guidance on course requirements for their respective programs.
Admission requirements
Students must meet the admission requirements for each program. Admission into one program does not guarantee admission into the other.
The Certificate in Aging Studies program is open to qualified students who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university or the equivalent and who have met all general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School.
The admission requirements for the M.H.A. can be found on the program page.
Application procedure
Applicants may apply to the certificate program any time after acceptance into the M.H.A. program.
Students may contact VCU Graduate Admissions to have their transcripts and letters of recommendation from the M.H.A. application attached to their certificate application. A new personal statement is required.
Dual degree and certificate requirements
As standalone programs, the M.H.A. comprises 59 credits while the certificate requires 15 credits. The dual degree and certificate program allows students to share three credits, therefore decreasing total credits to completion from 74 to 71.
Based on the equivalent knowledge acquired by successfully completing HADM 602 in the M.H.A. program, the elective requirement is satisfied in the certificate curriculum.
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| M.H.A. requirements | ||
| • Required courses | ||
| HADM 602 | Health System Organization, Financing and Performance (satisfies certificate restricted elective) | 3 |
| HADM 606 | Health Care Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| HADM 607 | Financial Management in Health Organizations | 3 |
| HADM 608 | Seminar in Health Care Finance | 3 |
| HADM 609 | Population Health Management | 2 |
| HADM 610 | Health Analytics and Decision Support | 3 |
| HADM 611 | Health Care Law and Bioethics | 3 |
| HADM 612 | Information Systems for Health Care Management | 3 |
| HADM 614 | Health Care Marketing | 3 |
| HADM 615 | Health Care Politics and Policy | 3 |
| HADM 624 | Health Economics | 3 |
| HADM 646 | Health Care Organization and Leadership | 3 |
| HADM 647 | Management of Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| HADM 648 | Strategic Management in Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| HADM 649 | Human Resources Management in Health Care | 3 |
| HADM 681 | Clinical Concepts and Relationships | 2 |
| HADM 682 | Executive Skills I | 1 |
| HADM 683 | Executive Skills II | 1 |
| HADM 694 | Practicum in Health Administration I | 5 |
| HADM 695 | Practicum in Health Administration II | 3-5 |
| • Electives | ||
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Real Property Investment Law | ||
| Social Gerontology | ||
| Independent Study in Health Administration | ||
| Foundations in Emergency Management | ||
| Public Health Preparedness | ||
| Information Systems for Managers | ||
| Advanced Human Resource Management | ||
| Entrepreneurship | ||
| Intro to Public Service and Administration | ||
| Policy Insights: Assessing Public Policies | ||
| Principles of Nonprofit Management | ||
| Quality Management and Six Sigma | ||
| Certificate requirements | ||
| GRTY 601 | Biological and Physiological Aging | 3 |
| GRTY 602 | Psychology of Aging | 3 |
| GRTY 603 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| GRTY 606 | Aging and Human Values | 3 |
| Restricted elective (satisfied by HADM 602) | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 71 | |
The list is suggestive. Other graduate-level courses may be selected by a student, though they should be approved by the program director to ensure they meet requirements.
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual program is 71.
Sample plan of study
| Year one | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| GRTY 603 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| HADM 602 | Health System Organization, Financing and Performance (satisfies certificate elective) | 3 |
| HADM 606 | Health Care Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| HADM 609 | Population Health Management | 2 |
| HADM 646 | Health Care Organization and Leadership | 3 |
| HADM 681 | Clinical Concepts and Relationships | 2 |
| HADM 682 | Executive Skills I | 1 |
| Term Hours: | 17 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| GRTY 606 | Aging and Human Values | 3 |
| HADM 607 | Financial Management in Health Organizations | 3 |
| HADM 610 | Health Analytics and Decision Support | 3 |
| HADM 624 | Health Economics | 3 |
| HADM 647 | Management of Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Year two | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| GRTY 602 | Psychology of Aging | 3 |
| HADM 608 | Seminar in Health Care Finance | 3 |
| HADM 612 | Information Systems for Health Care Management | 3 |
| HADM 615 | Health Care Politics and Policy | 3 |
| HADM 683 | Executive Skills II | 1 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| GRTY 601 | Biological and Physiological Aging | 3 |
| HADM 611 | Health Care Law and Bioethics | 3 |
| HADM 614 | Health Care Marketing | 3 |
| HADM 648 | Strategic Management in Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| HADM 649 | Human Resources Management in Health Care | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Year three | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| HADM 694 | Practicum in Health Administration I | 5 |
| Term Hours: | 5 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| HADM 695 | Practicum in Health Administration II | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 3 | |
| Total Hours: | 71 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual program is 71.
Contact
Jennifer Pryor
Program director, Department of Gerontology
pryorjm@vcu.edu
(804) 828-1565
Additional contact
Rachel Haga
M.H.A./M.S.H.A. program director, Department of Health Administration
rchaga@vcu.edu
(804) 828-5224